Products and methods to prevent infections

Abstract

The present invention relates to products and methods for preventing, ameliorating and/or treating infections and other diseases. In one aspect, the products of the present invention relates to compositions comprising germ free colostrum. In another aspect, the products of the present invention relates to compositions comprising synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins. In a third aspect, the products of the present invention relates to compositions comprising germ free colostrum enriched with synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins. The invention also relates to use of said compositions as a pharmaceutical e.g. for prophylactic or ameliorating treatment of infections and other diseases. In addition the invention comprises methods for production of said compositions.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A composition comprising immunoglobulins, part or fragments thereof, wherein said immunoglobulins are synthetically multimerised, and wherein said synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins comprise at least one cross-linking covalent chemical bond between individual immunoglobulins, and wherein said composition further comprising germ free colostrum, part or fragment thereof. 
     
     
       2. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises at least 15% synthetically multimerised immunoglobulin, part or fragment thereof. 
     
     
       3. The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the germ free colostrum, part or fragment thereof, is obtainable by a method comprising the steps of
 providing colostrum, part or derivative thereof 
 mixing the colostrum of step i) with at least one disinfectant dye selected from the group consisting of methylene blue and related thionine dyes, acridine orange, acridine yellow and related acriflavine (acridine) dyes, proflavine hemisulphate, quinacrine and its derivatives, brilliant green, gentian violet, crystal violet and related triphenyl methane dyes, bis naphthalene dyes such as trypan blue and trypan red, and/or combinations thereof 
 obtaining a composition that is free of pathogenic microorganisms. 
 
     
     
       4. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the composition selected from
 (a) a composition comprising immunoglobulins, part or fragments thereof, wherein said immunoglobulins are synthetically multimerised, and wherein, optionally,
 (i) said synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins comprise at least one cross-linking covalent chemical bond between individual immunoglobulins, or 
 (ii) said composition comprises at least 15% synthetically multimerised immunoglobulin, part or fragment thereof; or 
 
 (b) a composition obtainable by a method for producing synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins comprising the steps of
 i. providing a starting material 
 ii. isolating immunoglobulin, part or fragments thereof 
 iii. multimerising the isolated immunoglobulin of step ii) 
 iv. obtaining multimerised immunoglobulin
 or 
 
 v) providing a starting material 
 vi) mulimerising components of the starting material of step v) 
 vii) optionally, isolating immunoglobulin, part or fragments thereof 
 viii) obtaining multimerised immunoglobulin; 
 wherein, optionally,
 said starting material is selected from milk, colostrum, whey, serum, plasma and eggs, or a part thereof; and/or 
 said multimerisation of step iii) and/or step vi) involves cross-linking of the immunoglobulins of step ii), and/or the components of the starting material of step v); and, optionally, said cross-linking is obtained by use of periodate or a periodate forming compound; and 
 
 wherein, optionally, said composition further comprises germ free colostrum, or a part or fragment thereof, and wherein said germ free colostrum, or part or fragment thereof, is optionally obtainable by a method comprising the steps of
 i) providing colostrum, part or derivative thereof 
 ii) mixing the colostrum of step i) with at least one disinfectant dye selected from the group consisting of methylene blue and related thionine dyes, acridine orange, acridine yellow and related acriflavine (acridine) dyes, proflavine hemisulphate, quinacrine and its derivatives, brilliant green, gentian violet, crystal violet and related triphenyl methane dyes, bis naphthalene dyes such as trypan blue and trypan red, and/or combinations thereof 
 iii) obtaining a composition that is free of pathogenic microorganisms; 
 
 
 
       and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is obtainable by a method for producing synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins comprising the steps of
 i) providing a starting material; 
 ii) isolating immunoglobulin, part or fragments thereof; 
 iii) multimerising the isolated immunoglobulin of step ii); and 
 iv) obtaining multimerised immunoglobulin; 
 or 
 v) providing a starting material; 
 vi) mulimerising components of the starting material of step v); 
 vii) optionally, isolating immunoglobulin, part or fragments thereof; and 
 viii) obtaining multimerised immunoglobulin. 
 
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the starting material is selected from milk, colostrum, whey, serum, plasma and eggs, or a part thereof. 
     
     
       7. The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said multimerisation of step iii) and/or step vi) involves cross-linking of the immunoglobulins of step ii), and/or the components of the starting material of step v). 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 7 , wherein said cross-linking is obtained by use of periodate or a periodate forming compound. 
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 5 , further comprising germ free colostrum, part or fragment thereof. 
     
     
       10. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said immunoglobulins are IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, IgD, and/or IgY. 
     
     
       11. The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said immunoglobulins are IgG.